Budget Rent A Car franchise
2026 filing · April 29, 2026Fewer locations
Budget Rent A Car at a glance
A car rental business renting cars and trucks for short periods under the Budget name in a set territory. At the end of 2025 there were 1,350 Budget Rent A Car locations in the US, 173 franchised and 1,177 company-owned, so most are run by the company itself.
The business
- Franchisor
- Budget Rent A Car System, Inc
- The company that sells the franchises
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $626K–$1.59M
- A 30-car fleet in a territory of 55,000 people, with the fleet fully financed
- Franchise fee
- $45,000
- For a territory of up to 50,000 people, plus $5,000 for each further 5,000
- Royalty
- 7.5%
- 7.5% of gross revenue, paid monthly
- Brand fund
- None now
- Not charged at present ($0)
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- None
- No exclusive territory
Where it is
- US locations, 2025
- 1,350
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 173
- Company-owned
- 1,177
- Change in 2 years
- −17
- Franchised locations, 2023–2025
- States
- 30
- Most in Georgia, New Jersey and Nevada
From Budget Rent A Car System, Inc’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Budget Rent A Car among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Budget Rent A Car | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $1,106,950 | Costs more than 85% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $45,000 | Higher than 55% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 7.5% | Higher than 84% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 1,350 | More than 98% of franchises |
How much a Budget Rent A Car franchise costs
Opening a 30-car fleet in a territory of 55,000 people, with the fleet fully financed costs an estimated $625,500 to $1,588,400. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are automobiles ($450,000 to $1,290,000) and additional funds— three months ($55,000 to $72,400). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional HP USB Mouse | $10 | ||
| Recurring Charges per Unit/Terminal HP Monthly Break Fix Support (TC, Keyboard, Monitor) (monthly) | $15 | ||
| SPM (Symantec Policy Manager) License (monthly) | $1 | ||
| ABCR Help Desk Support (monthly) | $24 | ||
| Fleet) Initial License Purchase Fee | $50,000 | ||
| Construction, remodeling, decorating, and leasehold improvements | $15,000 | $50,000 | |
| Furniture, fixtures, other fixed assets, and equipment | $15,000 | $28,000 | |
| Signage | $10,000 | $25,000 | |
| Months’ rent and security deposits | $9,000 | $18,000 | |
| Three month period Vehicle Insurance Premiums | $15,000 | $37,500 | |
| Grand opening advertising and promotional costs | $2,000 | $5,000 | |
| Office supplies | $500 | $2,000 | |
| Fleet) Miscellaneous opening costs | $1,000 | $3,000 | |
| Automobiles | $450,000 | $1,290,000 | |
| Plus interest Travel and living expenses during training (3 months to understand) | $3,000 | $7,500 | |
| Additional funds— three months | $55,000 | $72,400 | |
| Total | $625,500 | $1,588,400 | |
Source: Budget Rent A Car System, Inc, 2026 filing, page 29
Budget Rent A Car franchise fee
The franchise fee is $45,000, for a territory of up to 50,000 people, plus $5,000 for each further 5,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Budget Rent A Car System, Inc, 2026 filing, page 16
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 7.5% of gross revenue, paid monthly. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | Not charged at present ($0). |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Budget Rent A Car System, Inc, 2026 filing, page 17
Sales and earnings
No figures Budget Rent A Car does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: Budget Rent A Car System, Inc, 2026 filing, page 83
SBA loans to Budget Rent A Car franchisees
Lenders approved 6 SBA-backed loans for Budget Rent A Car franchisees from 1996 to 2021, $1.9M in all: 5 7(a) loans and 1 504 loan. All 6 have ended: 5 were paid in full and 1 was charged off.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
How Budget Rent A Car compares
Typical means the median: half of brands are above it, half below.
| Figure | Budget Rent A Car | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $626K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $1.59M | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $45K | $40K |
| Royalty | 7.5% | 6% |
| US locations | 1,350 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 192 (−12) | 1,125 | – | – |
| 2022 | 190 (−2) | 1,164 | – | – |
| 2023 | 177 (−13) | 1,182 | +7 | −20 |
| 2024 | 174 (−3) | 1,182 | – | – |
| 2025 | 173 (−2) | 1,177 | +1 | −3 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Over 5 years, from the start of 2021 to the end of 2025, franchised locations went from 204 to 173 (−31, −15%). The earlier years come from the brand's 2024 filing.
Source: Budget Rent A Car System, Inc, 2026 filing, page 84
2021–2022: Budget Rent A Car System, Inc, 2024 filing, page 70
Where Budget Rent A Car locations are
At the end of 2025, Budget Rent A Car had franchised locations in 30 states. The most are in Georgia, New Jersey and Nevada.
- Georgia15
- New Jersey15
- Nevada13
- Utah12
- Wisconsin12
- Alabama10
| State | Franchised |
|---|---|
| Georgia | 15 |
| New Jersey | 15 |
| Nevada | 13 |
| Utah | 12 |
| Wisconsin | 12 |
| Alabama | 10 |
| Kansas | 10 |
| Pennsylvania | 10 |
| Montana | 7 |
| Texas | 7 |
All 30 states
Source: Budget Rent A Car System, Inc, 2026 filing, page 85
Who owns Budget Rent A Car?
Budget Rent A Car franchises are sold by Budget Rent A Car System, Inc.
From Budget Rent A Car System, Inc’s 2026 filing.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | Yes. The filing describes past or pending cases involving the franchisor, its affiliates or its executives on pages 12–16. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: Budget Rent A Car System, Inc, 2026 filing, litigation on pages 12–16, bankruptcy on page 16
Budget Rent A Car filings
A franchisor files a new disclosure each year it sells franchises. The figures on this page come from Budget Rent A Car System, Inc’s 2026 filing, issued April 29, 2026; the earlier ones below are on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository and the Minnesota Department of Commerce and fill in older location counts.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 filing | April 29, 2026 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2023–2025 |
| 2024 filing | – | Minnesota | Locations, 2021–2022 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
